Briefing planned to release Katz report

Nov. 9, 2006

Dr. Axel Meisen, Memorial’s president, will meet with the university community on Thursday, Nov. 9, to release the report of Dr. Shirley Katz. Dr. Meisen will also be providing an update on actions taken in response to Dr.Katz’s recommendations.

Dr. Katz, a professor at York University and an expert in harassment and discrimination issues, was commissioned to undertake an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the employment experience of the late Dr. Deepa Khosla, to study whether Memorial's policies, procedures and practices on harassment are disseminated and effective, and to determine whether the university's climate is supportive and welcoming to women.

The report from Dr. Katz was received in August and Dr. Meisen met with the university community in September to provide a briefing on her findings. However, the president was prevented from releasing the report at that time because of privacy law concerns. The report has since been reviewed by an independent expert, Brian Bowman, a lawyer with Pitblado L.L.P. in Winnipeg. Mr. Bowman was asked to review the report for the purposed of redacting (i.e. severing) information that must be protected under privacy law. That work has been completed.

The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 9, in the D. F. Cook Recital Hall in the School of Music.

“Since I started this process I have remained committed to releasing as much of Dr. Katz’s report as possible in accordance with the privacy legislation of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Dr. Meisen.